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THE GRENADA NEWSLETTER 'lC0
For Week. Ending Auaust.9th 1975
PRIME MINISTER MAKES NATIONAL BROADCAST,
In a national broadcast over Radio Grenada on August 6th,
Prime Minister Gairy accused the Grenada National Party
(GNP) and the New Jewel Movement (NJM) of killing Grenada's

economy. Mr Gairy said the "wickedness" of NJM had

touched even the students at the University of the West

Indies who were being told not to return until Grenada's
indebtedness to UWI had been paid. "For the sake of our

students", Mr Gairy said, "we shall try to raise the

necessary funds."

Grenada's indebtedness to UWI now stands at EC$1,033,285.00

over the period 1969 to 1975.

In an attack on Mr Herbert Blaize, Leader of the Opposition
and Representative for the constituency of Carriacou, the

two weeks ago, he had had discussions in Miami with Mr Thomas
Gleason, Head of the International Longshoremen's Association,
and with Mr Charles Blyth, Chairman of the International
Transport Federation. As a result of these talks, said

Mr Gairy, neither of these Union Bosses will support any of
Mr Pierre's "political or nonindustrial" strikes again.

Mr Gairy said that Messrs Gleason and Blyth had supported the
shutdown of St.Georges port during the crisis because cables

and letters from Mr Eric Pierre had given the impression
that, "I, Eric Matthew Gairy was Papa Doc. Well, well,

people, and no man on earth nor groups of men could have
stopped Grenada from attaining independence or prevented
me from carrying out my divine assignment."
(317 words)
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STRIKE SETTLED

An industrial dispute which resulted in a strike at the

Power Station of Grenada Electricity Services (GEC) was

settled following a meeting held at the Prime Minister's

residence with representatives of GES and the Technical
& Allied Workers Union (TAWU),

This matter goes back to October 1973 when the Union
submitted proposals for a new Agreement, but, according

to Mr Curtis Stewart, President of TAWU, there were no
negotiations until January 1975 because the Union was

engaged in other negotiations with the Company concerning
retrenchment of workers and other matters.

The Union's demand was for a 55% wage increase over three

years beginning 1975, with a 15Y cost-of-living allowance

for 1974. Negotiations under the chairmaneh;t of the
Labour Commissioner broke down on July 6th when the Company

would offer no more than an increase of 13% in 1975 and 5%
in each of the years 1976 and 1977.

Private talks by the Labour Commissioner with both parties
achieved nothing, and on Wednesday July 30th, there was a
"wildcat" strike at the Power Station. Union officials

induced workers to resume work when the Manager of GES,

Mr Richard Broomfield, undertook to go to the Company's

headquarters in Barbados to get a "new mandate".

Alister Hughes
THE GRENADA NEWSLETTER Week Ending 9.8.75
Page 3
On his return, however, he could offer no more than a 2o

increase on the 1975 figure, and, in protest, workers

walked off their jobs on August 6th. Prime Minister Gairy

then intervened, and, following the meeting at'his residence,

agreement was reached on a 257 wage increase from January lst

1975, and 10/o increase in 1976 and 1977. These figures will
be subject to review following the Report of a Commission of

Inquiry set up by Government earlier this year to review

the working of GES.

Members of that Commission are Mr Edwin Heyliger, retired

Puisne Judge of the Associated States (Chairman), Mr Willie

Rapier, Chartered Accountant, and Dr K S Julien, Professor and

Head of the Department of Electrical Engeneering at the

St.Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies.
(334 words)
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"TORCHLIGHT" MANAGING DIRECTOR CONCERNED OVER DELAY.
In an exclusive interview with NEWSLETTER today (8th), Mr D M B

Cromwell, Managing Director of the Board of Management of the

"Torchlight" newspaper, said he was concerned over Government's

delay in effecting promised changes to the Newspaper (Amendment)

Act No 9 of 1975.

Mr Cromwell said he had nothing in writing, but Prime Minister

Gairy had given his verbal undertaking that the law would be

changed to permit newspapers to effect insurance against libel

charges instead of (as the law nor requires) making a cash

deposit of EC$20,000.00 with the Accountant General.
Mr Cromwell said his Company could not find the large sum

required as a deposit, and the "Torchlight" has not been
published since Wednesday 9th July.

"In view of the urgent necessity to preserve Freedom of the

Press", said Mr Cromwell, "the promised changes to the law

should have had Government's highest priority, and I look with

grave concern at the continuing delay."

Alister Hughes
THE GRENADA NEWSLETTER Week Ending 9.8.75
Page 4
Meanwhile, there have been no further confrontations between

Police and vendors of the "Jewel" newspaper, official organ

of the New Jewel Movement. In the weeks ending 12th, 19th

and 26th July, and especially those of 12th and 19th, vendors
flouted the law openly in the presence of Police and Defence
Force, among these vendors being some of the Movement's

leaders including Mr Unison Whiteman, Joint Coordinating

Secretary and Mr Selwin Strachan, Publications Secretary.

Both these men were among those arrested.

In the weeks ending 2nd and 9th August, however, while there

is evidence that "Jewel" is still being sold, this action is

not being taken openly.
(254 words)
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NATIONAL HONOURS NOW OFFICIAL
According to the National Honours & Awards Act, No 12 of 1975,

approved by Governor General Sir Leo DeGale on July 28th and

circulated with the Government Gazette of August 1st, the

official Honour of Grenada is the "Order of the Cross", and

it "shall rank above any other honour or award conferred by

other power, authority or nation."

The Act says that "The Order of the Cross will be conferred

on those nationals, institutions, foreign institutions and

persons recommended by the Grand Council of the Order of the

Cross and approved by the Grand Master." And, -it is

stipulated in the Act that, "Dr Eric Matthew Gairy, Prime

Minister of Grenada, shall during his entire lifetime be
the Grand Master of the Order of the Cross and Chairman of

the Grand Council."

The Governor General shall appoint six persons to form the

Grand Council. The term of office of these persons shall

be two years, unless they resign or their office is declared

vacant by the Grand Master.

Alister Hughes
THE GRENADA NEWSLETTER Week Ending 9.8,75
Page 5

The Order of the Cross, which may also be called "The National
Order of the Grand Cross of Grenada", is divided into seven.